Relating Suicide: A Personal and Critical Perspective

Whitehead challenges the prevailing narrative of suicide by focusing on when, how, and where it occurs, emphasizing its materiality and materialization. This book explores subjective and social perspectives, bringing suicide into conversation with the critical medical humanities. It examines the days, months, and years following a death by suicide, highlighting the surprising ways in which suicide is woven into everyday places and related to us all.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 09 February 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Whitehead challenges the prevailing narrative of suicide by shifting the focus to when, how, and where it occurs. He emphasizes the materiality of suicide, both in its physical aspects and its manifestation in the broader social context. This book is both provocative and deeply moving, as it brings suicide into conversation with the critical medical humanities. It extends beyond individual pathology and the medical institution to consider subjective and social perspectives, and it opens up various sites, scenes, and interactions with which suicide is associated.

Rather than taking a retrospective view, Whitehead approaches suicide from the perspective of what happens after death. He combines critical and textual analysis with personal reflection based on his own experience of his sister's suicide. Through this combination, he examines the days, months, and years following a death by suicide, shedding light on the often-surprising ways in which suicide is woven into the everyday places we inhabit and the varying degrees of proximity and kinship it has with all of us.

One of the key insights of the book is that suicide is not solely a personal tragedy but also a societal issue. Whitehead argues that suicide is deeply intertwined with social, economic, and cultural factors, and that it cannot be understood solely through the lens of individual pathology. He explores the ways in which social norms, economic pressures, and cultural expectations can contribute to suicide risk and emphasizes the need for a more comprehensive understanding of suicide that takes into account these broader social factors.

Another important aspect of the book is its exploration of the various sites, scenes, and interactions with which suicide is associated. Whitehead examines the ways in which suicide is portrayed in media, literature, and popular culture, and he challenges the often-stereotypical and sensationalized representations of suicide. He also explores the experiences of survivors of suicide, including the emotional and psychological toll it takes on them and the ways in which they navigate the aftermath of a loved one's death.

Through his thoughtful and nuanced analysis, Whitehead offers a fresh perspective on suicide that challenges the dominant narratives and encourages a more empathetic and comprehensive understanding of this complex issue. This book is a valuable contribution to the field of medical humanities and will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and anyone who is concerned with the prevention and treatment of suicide.

Weight: 174g
Dimension: 137 x 216 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350192164